I'm working twelve hour day shifts for the next few days and I've not had a chance to write a load of posts in advance, so if I don't get a chance to moblog (which, given the current push on ORCON is unlikely), the next chance I'll have to post will be about 20:00 tonight.
That is if I'm not completely exhausted...
So I'll take this chance to update you on the progress of 'Da book'...
The meeting with my publishers went well (before the drinking started) and we agreed on a few changes.
Including the title.
It's a good idea, because 'Random Acts Of Reality' won't exactly pull in the bookshop browsers.
While not written in stone, the current title will probably become 'Behind The Ambulance Door'.
I think that browsers will find this much more descriptive.
We also looked at some cover mock-ups, and we all agreed on the same one. Which only goes to prove that great minds think alike. We also agreed that an introduction to the book would weaken it's start, and that the individual posts should have the dates removed.
The (probably) final draft should be finished later this week.
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General Update
Comments
Re: General Update
12 hour days AND writing a book? Are you mad??? ;-)
Re: Re: General Update
by
batsgirl
on Mon 13 Mar 2006 02:37 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
I vote: at least a little nuts. Works on the sticky end of the NHS for starters.
Re: Re: Re: General Update
Oh yes - I'm bloody insane.
You've only just realised this? Re: Re: Re: Re: General Update
by
batsgirl
on Tue 14 Mar 2006 02:24 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
hahahaha
you've not met my friends and family. Re: General Update
by
DaveM
on Mon 13 Mar 2006 12:19 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
'Behind The Ambulance Door' how about "though the ambulance keyhole", with a forword by Lloyd grossman.
Cant want to see it in the shops Re: General Update
by
Glenda
on Mon 13 Mar 2006 02:24 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
Nope, Tom's not 'mad' - but passionate about his beliefs and 'da book' is probably time out (to a certain extent).
I'm looking forward to the publication, and as always am glad that my pal informed me 'bout this site. Huge hug to you!! Glenda Re: General Update
by
Snoop
on Mon 13 Mar 2006 06:28 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
I've been pondering on your title too but can't get beyond Sir Ambulancelot and the Knights of the Hot Tea Urn. So now I've posted it, I can start to think about something far more sensible.
Re: General Update
by
Luc
on Mon 13 Mar 2006 08:52 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
How about
1) Parked up at McDonalds 2) Cruising Kings Cross 3) More Vomit in the Back than A Late Night Taxi 4) All GP's are lazy sods 5) If You're Not Ill You're Not Coming In 6) How I learnt to Love Drunks 7) How to do 70 While Holding a Big Mac Re: General Update
I think renaming the book is a bad idea. You have created your "Brand" around the name Random Acts of Reality. And I imagine most of the people who will buy the book are readers of your blog.
It would be similar to the Coke/New Coke disaster of years ago, changing the formula just doesn't cut it. If the front cover has a photo/picture of an Ambulance on it, browsers will get the gist that the book is about Ambulances/The Ambulance Service. A quotes from the internets: "In general, the rule of brand naming is that if you already gave a strong brand name do not change it, if that can at all be helped. Researchers have found that established brand names have a great deal of brand equity locked up in them, and that changing brand names can lead to unhappy customers and a loss of business." Whatever you do don't change your well branded concept now no matter how hard the publishers push you... Re: Re: General Update
by
DD
on Tue 14 Mar 2006 04:48 AM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
Although I understand the concept of using his established brand to capitalize on his current readers, I would think he needs to reach far beyond his current readers to make a profit on a published text. In that case he needs a title that will draw new readers in. (He can tell those of us who read his blog what the book's going to be called, and chances are we'll just go out and get it, whatever it's title is.) Having said that, "Behind the Ambulance Door" sounds a little stiff to me, but I don't have a better suggestion!
Re: General Update
by
Sage303
on Tue 14 Mar 2006 08:44 AM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
Reynolds,
I think it will be a shame if the title isn't random acts of reality (or at least somewhere on the cover) only because essentially it is you. I understand from the publishers POV, but I agree the proposed Behind the ambulance door is a little stiff and may actually put people off who don't know what the background is. Hopefully you and the Publishers will be able to reach an agreement on a more catchy title.... as I will buy it anyway. Sage Re: Re: General Update
I agree - Random Acts of Reality should feature prominently on the cover - and it will - but the idea is to bring Tom's writing to a wider audience and they won't have any connection with that title. I wanted to keep that as the title but it was after feedback from the head buyer at one of the big chains that we had a rethink. As far as I can remember from our drunken evening, we agreed that 'Behind Closed Doors' might work well with the existing subtitle but with a splash somewhere on the cover to say 'from the award winning Random Acts of Reality blog'. What do you all think?
Re: Re: Re: General Update
I agree with you Clare, about bringing the book to a wider audience; though Tom has a lot of traffic, the key is surely to get non-blog readers to buy the book too - that way he will be an 'author', rather than a 'blogger writing a book' - and sell more copies as a result (as well as (hopefully) achieve more longevity in the publishing field)
I also agree with the statements made by other commenters above: the title does need to be snappier. Not that I am an expert in 'branding' or the like, but how about something punchier like: 'A Real Emergency: Life On The Ambulance Frontline' - An adapation of the award winning weblog 'Random Acts of Reality' The 'Behind Closed Doors' thing makes me think of something sordid, which is not quite the genre I think this book falls into. Re: General Update
by
Snoop
on Tue 14 Mar 2006 02:09 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
Reality Bites
Re: General Update
by
The Driving Instructor
on Thu 16 Mar 2006 10:19 PM GMT | Profile | Permanent Link
Good to see work on your book is progressing nicely Tom.
All the best and don't work yourslf to death! Nice to hear you on the radio. The Driving instructor |
Welcome to Random Acts Of Reality, a Blog based in London, England, written by an E.M.T working for the London Ambulance Service. Also, number one search result for "Womble porn". All names have be changed to protect the guilty. This Blog was previously known as "Why I Hate Humanity" but the antipsychotic medication seems to have kicked in.
All opinions on this website are mine alone, and may not reflect those of the L.A.S or other ambulance crews Find out more about me here.
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